From Ealing to MasterChef’s final four: Antos Tytko on Polish food

Antos Tytko grew up in Ealing between a Polish-speaking home, Saturday school and performances with the Mazury dance group. He now draws on those experiences in his cooking, combining familiar Polish dishes with flavours from multicultural London. In an interview published by MyPolska.UK on 9 October, he described reaching the final four of MasterChef 2026 and deciding to pursue food and media after the programme.

A Polish childhood in Ealing

Tytko said that both he and his parents were born in Ealing. Three of his grandparents came to Britain from Poland after the Second World War. While growing up, he attended Polish school every Saturday and danced with Mazury, including during a tour of southern Poland.

Polish was the language he spoke at home before he started nursery and learned English. He also recalled performing at the Royal Albert Hall for the centenary of Poland regaining independence.

Polish flavours on MasterChef

Tytko used his time on MasterChef to present a modern approach to Polish cooking. He reached finals week and became one of the last four contestants. His ideas included Peking duck pierogi and Japanese-inspired gołąbki filled with pork, kasza, ginger, garlic and chilli.

For him, these combinations are not a rejection of Polish tradition. They reflect the experience of growing up in London, where family cooking sits alongside food and ingredients from around the world. In the interview, he presents that mix as a natural part of being both British and Polish.

A new direction after the programme

After MasterChef, Tytko left a six-year career in finance. He now wants to develop work in food and media, including supper clubs, restaurant collaborations and culinary events.

One recent project was a charity dinner for 50 people. He prepared the food without a professional kitchen at the venue and served the meal on a tennis court. The example shows the practical side of changing careers: the work requires organisation, logistics and the ability to deliver in unusual conditions as well as creative recipes.

Why this is an Ealing story

Tytko’s story grows directly out of Polish life in Ealing. Saturday school, Mazury, family history and a bilingual childhood are not simply background details. They became the material from which he developed a distinctive way of presenting Poland through food.

His stated ambition is to show a modern face of Polish culture to a wider British audience. Instead of choosing between a Polish identity and a London identity, he combines both and translates them into cooking, events and media work.

That makes his journey particularly recognisable in Ealing, where generations of Polish families have built lives that connect inherited traditions with the wider culture of west London. His account is personal, but it also illustrates how local community institutions can shape confidence, friendships and creative work long after childhood.